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August 4 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens

August 4, 2023 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (59-44) vs. TOLEDO MUDHENS (45-59)

Friday, August 4 - 7:08 PM - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

LHP Jordan Wicks (2-0, 4.91) vs. RHP Brenan Hanifee (2-6, 4.81)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Trailing 3-0, the I-Cubs look for their first win of the series with Jordan Wicks on the mound tonight. In his first four starts at the Triple-A level, Wicks has earned two wins and has suffered no losses. He holds a 4.91 ERA as he's given up 10 earned runs in 18.1 innings. The lefty will make his first career start against the Mud Hens tonight. Toledo will send Spencer Turnbull to the bump as their opener for tonight's game. Turnbull started the year with Detroit before being placed on the injured list with neck discomfort. The righty started his rehab assignment with the Michigan Whitecaps on July 25 and will make his first appearance with Toledo tonight. On his rehab assignment so far, Turnbull has a 3.60 ERA through 5.0 innings in two starts. Following Turnbull will be Brenan Hanifee for the Mud Hens. Hanifee is 2-6 with a 4.81 ERA in 12 starts, 17 total appearances. The righty is also coming off an injury, set to make his first appearance since being placed on the injured list on July 8. Hanifee faced Iowa earlier this season on May 12. He suffered the loss, allowing four runs on five hits and one walk in 5.0 innings. Tonight will be just his second career appearance against Iowa.

BACK IN THE ROTATION: Jordan Wicks is set to make his first start since July 23 tonight. He did not start in his normal spot in the rotation in last week's series in Memphis. Wicks has found success so far in his young Triple-A career, earning a 2-0 record through his first four starts. The lefty has struck out 15 hitters while walking nine. As the Cubs' No. 5 overall prospect, he's an important arm to have back in an ever-changing Iowa rotation. The last time Wicks made a start the rotation consisted of Ben Brown, Caleb Kilian, Riley Thompson, Adrian Sampson and Hayden Wesneski. Today, Brown and Thompson are both on the Injured List, Sampson was traded and Wesneski is pitching in Chicago. Kilian and Wicks remain the last pitchers standing.

AUGUST SLIPPED AWAY: The Iowa Cubs have started August with three straight losses. They are hitting just .198 through those three games and have a 10.57 ERA. Both of those marks are by far the worst of any month this season. The next lowest batting average for the I-Cubs was .239 in May, a 41-point difference compared to August. Their next highest ERA was 6.19 in June, a difference of 4.38. The tough numbers have led Iowa to be outscored 28-14 so far this month. Their three-straight losses are the worst mark to start any month this season. Iowa started April 3-0, May 2-1, June 1-2 and July 2-1.

ROBERSON'S IOWA DEBUT: The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed pitcher Josh Roberson from the Tampa Bay Rays for Adrian Sampson, Manuel Rodriguez and future considerations on Tuesday. Roberson made his Chicago Cubs organization debut in game one yesterday. The new I-Cub went just 1.0 inning where he allowed one run on two hits and one walk. The righty got his first strikeout in an I-Cubs jersey against Wenceel Perez for the last out of his inning. Roberson went 2-1 with a 4.62 ERA in 32 games with the Durham Bulls earlier this season.

STILL LOOKING FOR THAT FIRST HIT: Pete Crow-Armstrong's promotion to Triple-A made headlines across the baseball world as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect and MLB's No. 7. Through his first two games, PCA has yet to record his first Triple-A hit. In his I-Cubs debut on Tuesday night, the outfielder went 0-3, striking out three times. While it wasn't a hit, PCA showed off his speed swiping his first Triple-A bag after drawing a walk in the fifth inning. In game one of yesterday's double header, PCA went 0-3, striking out once. The top prospect will have a shot to snag his first Triple-A hit as he is set to hit out of the leadoff spot for Iowa tonight.

BULLPEN BLUES: Game two of last night's doubleheader was certainly not a highlight reel for Iowa's bullpen. In just seven innings, the I-Cubs tied a season-high 16 walks. 16 is also the franchise records for walks in a non-extra inning game. Riley Martin delivered the most walks with five, Danis Correa and Ryan Jensen walked four and Jeremiah Estrada walked three. Just two pitchers last night did not walk any hitters. Chris Clarke made the start and went 1.2 innings without any walks. The other pitcher: Jared Young. In his second outing on the mound this year, the position player faced just one hitter and induced a pop-out to get the out.

SLOW START TO THE SERIES: Yonathan Perlaza has been one of Iowa's leading offensive players this season. He leads the I-Cubs in hits with 92, in doubles with 29, ranks second with 66 RBI and is in the top ten in numerous other categories. The switch-hitter has fallen into a slump as of late. In three games so far this series, Perlaza is 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts. His three-game hitless streak matches a season-long for the fourth time this season. Since his four-hit game on July 29 in Memphis, Perlaza is 1-for-14 (.071) with eight strikeouts. The average is his worst in a four-game stretch this season.

AGAINST TOLEDO: The I-Cubs suffered a double header sweep last night, their second of the season. In three doubleheaders between the I-Cubs and the Mud Hens all-time, Iowa has now been swept twice and they've split once. The two losses extended their series deficit to 3-0. The Mud Hens have now won five straight against the I-Cubs. Iowa continues to trail all-time against Toledo 16-26 and 13-17 at Principal Park.

SHORT HOPS: In game one yesterday, Iowa suffered jus their fourth loss of the season in one-run games and their first at home, they are 21-4 overall in one run games and 10-1 at home ... The I-Cubs hit two three-run home runs yesterday, Matt Mervis in game one and Alexander Canario in game two. They moved their season total to 21 three-run homers, last year's season total was 14 ... In games the day after a double header, Iowa is 3-3 this season ... The I-Cubs are an even .500 in Friday games this season, 5-5 at home and 4-4 on the road, it's the only day of the week to have a record of .500 for Iowa.

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